Police have been searching near Delridge/Findlay (map) after reports of gunfire. No one is reported so far to have been hit/injured, but police at the scene told us they did find shell casings in the alley west of Delridge. One person who heard it told us it sounded like five rapid-fire shots. Officers are investigating reports of suspects seen running and/or driving away to the east. (Thanks to everyone who tipped us on this.)

That’s an interesting prediction, DTK. What is currently happening in the Alaska Junction that leads you to believe that it will attract banger activity in 3 years? Is it the expensive apartments being built or perhaps the thriving shops and restaurants?

Gene – You can not cram 3000 people into a half mile radius and not expect the inevitable. I love West Seattle and the Junction. I’ve lived here over ten years now but the writing is on the wall. Gridlock, scarce parking, vagrancy and homelessness, urban blight, property and violent crime will increase exponentially. It’s already beginning to unfold before our eyes on a weekly basis. This is reality and it’s sad, but true.

I’ve also lived in the Junction area for 10 years and I have just the opposite feeling. I used to think it was pretty run down and shabby (that adult video store with the plastic strips in the doorway, bleh). I have issues with the way some of the new development is being handled, but if anything I see less people that make me want to cross the street than I did five years ago. I don’t think “urban blight” means what you think it means.

As if it isn’t disturbing enough that this firing of guns near the Super 24 went down, but to see people commenting about how this kind of crap might end up occurring at the precious Alaska Junction is really appalling. Does it really matter where shootings and lawlessness is happening? Or is it “okay” if it happens only in Delridge? Is it only critical if it affects the part of West Seattle where you live or frequent? Good grief, no one wonder the nation and city is fractured.

Mike D. – Good point. Some commenters here seem unconcerned about problems as long as they are happening to other people. They also have an entirely overblown sense of the dangers of SW Seattle. The same type of folks who complained that Zippy’s relocated to White Center rather than California Ave. Maybe some overlap with commenters who somehow find Westwood Village a scary place to shop…or the ones constantly threatening to move to a city with zero crime.

Ugh. I was on a walk through the Longfellow Creek trails with my husband and baby boy when this happened. I was hoping it was a late round of fireworks. This is terrible, and I agree wholeheartedly with Mike D.’s comment.

It is obvious driving by the Super 24 and in that area there is thuggish activity. Police should be making regular rounds to bust the activity especially with a school nearby and so many families living in the area.

I agree with what Mike D. says. Also, would add that I live close to where this happened and almost skipped a walk with my kids because of it. After thinking about it (and waiting 30 minutes or so after first seeing this on the blog), I decided the idiots who did this had obviously fled the area as fast as they could and it was probably one of the safer areas we could be with all the cops around. We had a lovely walk to the park/playground and saw a lot of other families enjoying the relatively nice day. Since we’ve moved here, the area has improved a lot with the precinct being right down the road and more young families moving in. However, as a community, we have to stay vigilant and aware and call the police when we see something suspicious. It is the best thing we can do to help make things better. Hiding out in my house is not a solution I will choose. This is our community and we have to fight for it.

I live on the same block and I saw the car flee down our street. Silver blue grey Honda hatchback with distinct mufflers that made a high pitch sound as it drove away.

I live in a great neighborhood with fantastic people. But crime is a problem as the area is criminally neglected by city resources. I do think the area is improving despite the lack of support and I just imagine how great it could be if the city got behind making Delridge part of the West Seattle community.

I live on twenty fifth in the house across the alley from where this azz hat did his shooting.Next time your in the hood drive down that alley you will soon see why in the past 15 years there has been 3 shootings back there. About ten years ago we got that’s the three i know about,It needs light, it needs to be paved. It needs to be cleaned up.About ten years ago we got a letter from the city saying it would not provide garbage service because its not paved. When asked why I didn’t run back and look for the shooter,I said you don’t go back in that alley in the day time with no noise let alone at night with gun shots, The officer responded that’s a good idea, its bad back here if you here any thing call us